Boards

Seems appropriate on the anniversary of 'Rumours', an album that is remarkable for being ever produced at all, given the state of the personal relationships within the band at the time (I think we all know the stories of band members being unable to be in the recording studio at the same time). Yet it's a band that gains so much of what is special about it by being a product of all that.

What other albums miraculously came to fruition during a time of serious strife or personal tragedy for the band in question and yet turned out to be stunners because they were enthused with the emotions of that period?

its an incredible album anyway, but recorded in the wake of a serious road accident that left one of the band quadriplegic it is even moreso, particularly on the last track on which said member did a lot of the percussion and structuring;

Menomena's Friend & Foe and Mines were both produced near the end of their original lineup. It was a widely known and accepted that Brent, Danny, and Justin had a LOT of hatred for each other, and barely spoke to each other when they didn't have to. And those two albums are fucking perfect.

The shitty thing is, Brent Knopf left to focus on Ramona Falls, and Menomena made a weak link of a record after that. It was GOOD, but...

But Friend & Foe was a gem, and Mines was absolutely flawless. Mines is a tough act to follow. If Moms were their second record, I wouldn't have thought about it. But after those two records, it's hard to view it without thinking about it as a step back.

Not sure how much influence it had on the album's 'message' to be honest, a lot of the revolution! come together! friends! brothers! stuff etc was there from the very beginning. But the fact that they managed to a) release something and b)that that something was so incredible is pretty impressive.

No massive band issues like with Rumours or anything, but the band was getting so little recognition for their earlier albums that Bob decided to call it quits. He wanted to release one last album before that happened though, and tried to write his biggest, most powerful tracks yet and have them properly produced. The result was one of their most consistent/best loved albums, which included one of the all time greatest, and most triumphant, opening tracks ever

Richie's drinking was getting out of hand, but I think they've said they enjoyed the process a lot more than recording Gold Against the Soul, it was only really afterwards that Richie's health nosedived... I suppose if anything, Everything Must Go was probably the record that had the more to overcome...

Richey had his problems, Bradfield's mother had just been hospitalised, I think one of them was going through a break-up as well? Basically everything was going to hell in their personal lives and they vented it out in the music, the recording of which was fairly unproblematic.

Not a classic, but some good songs on there. Probably some of the lighest, poppiest stuff Corgan has done, and pretty much the last time he released anything interesting. I think a lot of the Zwan turmoil came after the album was recorded, though.

I believe there were times when they literally wouldn't step foot in the same studio as one another during production; and of course Mushroom pretty much up and left the band when it was released (and as far as I know hasn't released anything since). 3D was the only original member on 100th Window. It took 8 years before he and Daddy G could work together again.

I read an interview during the time of the recordings; they would take it in turns to work on samples, loops etc. and do shifts basically on the music without seeing each other. An amazing album which sounds like the happy go lucky stoners of Blue Lines and Protection going mental. Which they were.

Band had split up for the first of three times during its making, correct? A Storm in Heaven is still their best album, but they were probably able to tolerate each other a lot more during that album's recording process.

Damon was a paranoid, coke-addled wreck whose relationship with Justine Frischmann was falling apart, Graham was a functioning alcoholic who hated the rest of the band, Alex was an obnoxious toff doing his best to be a cartoon cliche of everything that was wrong with britpop, and their last album had given them a level of fame none of them knew how to deal with & a musical direction none of them wanted to continue with coupled with a massive critical backlash. Then Damon decided to go on holiday to Iceland to sort his shit out...

Greatest pop band of their era falling apart internally, meaning that their beautiful melodies and astounding understanding of chorus structures was used to underline absolute sorrow and heartbreak. Almost unbearably beautiful at times.

Shout for Strangeways, Here We Come too. Though apparently they all amicably knew that was going to be the end, it still has that echo of sorrow, especially towards the end of the album